Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) is considering the establishment of a dedicated cyber force to address increasingly complex cyberattacks and misinformation campaigns.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin stated that this force would possess high technical expertise, including cyber threat intelligence, incident response, digital forensics, and active cyber defence.

This capability would enable the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) to not only respond to cyberattacks but also to preemptively neutralize threats before they impact military operations and national security. ()

This initiative aligns with the ATM’s modernization efforts outlined in the Defence White Paper, aiming to transform the ATM into a Future Force by 2030. Mohamed Khaled emphasized that unforeseen threats such as cyberattacks, hybrid warfare, terrorism, drone warfare, natural disasters, and regional conflicts necessitate a more modern and integrated ATM.

As part of this strategy, the Defence Science and Technology Research Institute (STRIDE) has identified several critical focus areas, including cyber warfare, unmanned warfare, drone warfare, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) warfare. Additionally, the government plans to increase defense spending to 1.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030, up from the current 1.1%, to ensure the successful implementation of the Defence White Paper.

This proposed increase aligns with approaches taken by neighboring countries that prioritize the defense sector to protect national interests amid increasingly complex challenges.